Professional Bowlers Association Regional Action

After the first full weekend of Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) regional competition for the new 2011-12 season officially got underway on April 1, three first-time champions qualified to make their debuts in the 2012 PBA Tournament of Champions.
It was a double-header in Lakewood, WA, on April 3 where Blaine Weninger of Aurora, OR, defeated Curtis Messer of Aberdeen, WA, 232-212, to win his first PBA Northwest Region standard title in the PBA Northwest Tacoma Dodge Open at Bowlero Lanes while Noel Vazquez of Sacramento, CA, defeated Kevin Croucher of Grants Pass, OR, 209-193, to win the companion Senior Tacoma Dodge Open for his first PBA victory.

Across the nation, Shane Baker of Anderson, SC, defeated Matt Taylor of Knightsdale, NC, 264-259, to win the PBA Marion Non-Champions Open at Lightning Lanes in Marion, NC, Sunday. Baker topped a field of 96 non-champions to claim his first South Region title and a $2,000 prize.

Dino Castillo of Carrollton, Texas, won his second PBA Southwest Region title when he stopped Josh Maxson of Killeen, Texas, 216-188, to win the 2011 Marble Falls Open at Lake Country Lanes in Marble Falls, Texas, on Sunday. Castillo, who rolled a pair of 300 games during the tournament, took home $2,250.

As the PBA Senior Tour ramps up for its season-opener in the PBA Senior Don Carter Open at Carter Family Bowl in Winter Garden, FL, April 17-21, PBA Senior Tour players had a couple of warmup opportunities. Jeff Zaffino of Warren, PA, topped Mike Hastings of Millsboro, DE, 200-198, to win his 16th regional title in the Rossi Lanes Senior Open presented by Storm Products in Elmira, NY. And, in the Central Region, Kenny Parks of Hammond, IN, defeated Curt Aemisegger of Wauconda, IL, 277-220, to win the PBA Central Region’s third annual Victory Lanes Senior Open in Galion, Ohio. The win was Parks’ fifth in senior regional competition.

This weekend’s PBA Regional lineup includes the joint Central/Midwest Lafayette Community Bank Classic at Star Lanes in Lafayette, IN; the South Region Wild Magnolia Senior Open at Sport Lanes in Martinsville, VA, and the East Region Roto Grip Open at Hoe Bowl Catskill in Catskill, NY. For tournament entry information, visit pba.com and click on “Regional Tour” under the “schedule” dropdown tab.